Car Scratch Remover & Repair Tips

It's a fact of life. Other ­people often don't treat your car's paint with much consideration. Ditto for kids and pets, not to mention the odd troll with an attitude and a set of car keys. Respraying a car can cost thousands of dollars, while respraying a single panel may leave you with a clown car that doesn't match color left to right.Fortunately, many small nicks, scratches and imperfections can be easily retouched. A careful job is unobtrusive and may well be almost totally invisible.
Proper conditions: Be comfortableBefore you break out your touchup tools, figure out what you're dealing with. If the scratch appears thin and white, it probably hasn't penetrated through the clear coat.If it is body-colored or shows metal, you've got a deeper problem. Regardless, never try to touch up paint unless the temperature in your work area is shirt-sleeve-
comfortable for you. The paint won't adhere, dry properly or gloss up. The ideal temperature would be in the 70s F, but 60 to 85 is acceptable. You'll need to be out of the wind and sun. Indoors is best, but a shady carport should do. The relative humidity should be less than 60 percent or so: The evaporating solvent will cool off the panel as it dries, potentially lowering the metal's temperature below the dew point and letting moisture ­condense on the surface. This is not ­conducive to good surface finish.

Anatomy of a Scratch

Anatomy of a Scratch

Unless the car you're repairing is over 20 years old or was custom-painted,­ the paint is almost certainly a clear-coated catalyzed enamel. Artificially hardened by toxic chemicals, it's stable within hours of factory application.

On the other hand, the paint you're applying, whether it's primer, color or clear, is a lacquer. Lacquers dry because the solvent evaporates, leaving the solids behind. While they may feel hard and be sandable within a few minutes, they will continue to shrink for a while. Allow lacquers to dry at least overnight so they can shrink before you add another coat. If you need multiple coats to build up the paint film to full thickness for a repair, one coat a day is best. Of course, be safe. The amounts of solvents used are small, but work in a well-­ventilated area. Make sure to degrease the area with solvent before starting.

Anatomy of a Scratch

Anatomy of a Scratch

Unless the car you're repairing is over 20 years old or was custom-painted,­ the paint is almost certainly a clear-coated catalyzed enamel. Artificially hardened by toxic chemicals, it's stable within hours of factory application.

On the other hand, the paint you're applying, whether it's primer, color or clear, is a lacquer. Lacquers dry because the solvent evaporates, leaving the solids behind. While they may feel hard and be sandable within a few minutes, they will continue to shrink for a while. Allow lacquers to dry at least overnight so they can shrink before you add another coat. If you need multiple coats to build up the paint film to full thickness for a repair, one coat a day is best. Of course, be safe. The amounts of solvents used are small, but work in a well-­ventilated area. Make sure to degrease the area with solvent before starting.